OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THE WELFARE OF THE WORKING CART HORSES ON THE CAPE FLATS

Cart Horse Protection Association is the only animal welfare in Cape Town that has been providing services to and protecting the welfare of the working cart horses on the Cape Flats since 1995. We work in partnership with the carting community, i.e. cart horse owners and drivers who rely on their working horses to generate an income for themselves and their families. 

Members of the carting community face serious socio – economic challenges on a daily basis, rampant gang violence, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse and crime. Education levels are low, which makes it difficult for them to enter the formal job market. People live hand to mouth with little or no savings to see them through difficult times.

Their working cart horses are a cost effective, simple solution to strengthening their livelihoods. They impact on their lives and that of the greater community in a number of ways: 

Economic - Job creation. Enabling their owners, drivers and their families to participate in work, allowing them to move out of unemployment and thus boosting their economic capacity. The cart horse operators’ average gross daily income is R287 per day depending on how much scrap metal is available to them. ¹  1. Socioeconomic Impacts of Cart Horses in the Cape Flats, Western Cape, South Africa. Dr Joanna Nevison de Klerk, BVetMed Honours, 2017 

Social - Transporting people and supporting the community 

Human health - Bettering their owners’ lives 

Environmental - Cleaning up and transporting rubble, scrap and garden waste with a non-emission mode of transport

Our holistic approach ensures that we provide for every aspect of the health and well being of their working cart horses.

Proper nutrition - Oat hay and 10% horse meal is supplied at heavily subsidised rates

Professional foot care - Our four farriers attend to all hoof care and shoeing needs

Correct harnessing - Carrying out of repairs and supplying new replacement pieces

Roadworthy carts - Repairs to and complete overhaul of un-roadworthy carts

Parasite control - Free de-worming every 3 months

Veterinary care - Veterinary service offered 24/7, 365 days a year

Dentistry - Dental appointments scheduled on a needs basis

Suitable stabling - Inspection of stables and supply of shavings for bedding

Humane working conditions - Patrolling and inspection on the road while horses work

Protection - Enforcing of the Animals Protection Act cases of abuse and neglect

Industry regulation - Free gelding, lobbying for legislation governing horse drawn vehicles

Education and training - Owner & driver workshops, Equine Welfare Training Programmes, Welfare Farrier Training Programmes, Animal Welfare Legislation Training Programme to create a Code of Best Practice for equine welfare in South Africa

We run three key service delivery programmes that implement the twelve aspects of our approach.

Static and Mobile Clinics

°        Five morning clinics at Epping, afternoon clinics in Sweet Home Farm and Ottery and provide services at home visits in Delft and Phillipi East that are accessible and affordable.

°        Distribute subsidised feed –correct feeding practices maintain condition, provide energy and prevent illness.

°        A professional farrier service - access to this service minimises the risk of horses unable to work due to lameness.

°        Harness repair to ensure that harnessing is properly fitted and maintained to alleviate wounds caused by wire or unsuitable materials.

°        Cart building and repairs to ensure that carts are road worthy and do not pose a danger to public safety.

°        Free shavings which is used for bedding in the back yard stables. This ensures that the stables are kept clean and dry thus preventing hoof disease and lameness.

°        Full welfare inspection of horse, cart and harness to prevent abuse by booking working cart horses off work for a specified period, if they are not in good health or show signs of injury and/or lameness.

Veterinary & Inspectorate

°        Provide a 24/7 - 365 days a year free veterinary service, diagnosing and treating sick and injured cart horses and referral of severe cases to consultant veterinarians

°        Administer free de-worming every 3 months and tetanus vaccinations are once a year.

°        Registration and micro-chipping of all working cart horses

°        Enforce the provisions of the Animal Protection Act in cases where working cart horses are abused or neglected despite the services and support offered by the Association

°        Educate owners and drivers on reasons for warnings and confiscations in relation to the Animal Protection Act and laws governing animal drawn vehicles on public roads

°        Encourage owner and driver participation in all aspects of the welfare of their working horses to affect behaviour change

°        Be available 24/7 to respond to all call outs of abuse on the roads and conduct organised road patrols and road blocks

°        Host E53 Operator Permit Workshops every 3 months for new drivers, focusing on signs, safety signalling and road rules to decrease the incidents of motor vehicle accidents

°        Network with and offer training to the Department of Safety and Security, Law Enforcement, security companies and City Improvement District Agencies on legislation pertaining to working cart horses

°        Visit and inspect all stable yards to assess the welfare of the horse, stable size, tethering, accessibility of grazing, availability of feed and water, cleanliness of stables and bedding, stable floor and structure, safety and ventilation

°        Improve the standard and safety of backyard stables through provision of materials, shavings and horse equipment

Recovery & Rehabilitation Centre

°        Accommodate cart horses for the required period, who are seized on the road because they are unfit to work

°        Accommodate and rehabilitate cart horses that have been permanently confiscated under the provisions of the Animals Protection Act

°        Re- home rehabilitated cart horses via our Adoption Programme

°        Carry out regular follow up home checks to ensure the continued welfare of the horse in our Adoption Programme

°        Provide veterinary treatments, alternative therapies and exercise to sick and injures cart horses.